Some koi questions [Archive]

newt0524

11-24-2007, 01:56 PM

Hey all

I was wondering if anyone has some experience keeping koi in an aquarium? I have read that it is doable, but would like some tips from anyones experience.

I think my main question is thier tolerance of warm water. I would like to keep a koi with my clarius catfish who is a warm water fish. I have read that koi are quite tolerant of temperature ranges as long as the change isn't sudden. Any advice on this?

Also, from what I've seen in ponds and such, koi are quite friendly and do not mind close contact with other fish. Is this true? The clarius is super freindly and rubs against anything it can.

I am sure Ill have some other questions, but these are the start.

thanks
newt

Kaga's Kritters

11-24-2007, 02:05 PM

koi need too much room when full grown to live in an aquarium. also i wouldn't keep them in warm water, they are a cold water fish.

Fishguy2727

11-24-2007, 02:18 PM

The warm water is not really an issue. The main issue is that they can be well over two feet when full grown and are a schooling species. It would be one thing to start them off in a tank until they are moved to a pond, but keeping them permanently in a tank is a whole other story.

squirt_12

11-24-2007, 02:29 PM

you would need a HUGE tank to be keeping them inside in a tank.

gm72

11-24-2007, 02:31 PM

Newt, I think you'd end up with the same problem as you had with your tiger shovelnose catfish.

cocoa_pleco

11-24-2007, 05:04 PM

i used to have a few koi in a tank, and they got along with my comet feeder pet goldfish. they are fine in a bit of warm water, but be ready to have a big pond for them soon

Rue

11-24-2007, 05:33 PM

Okay...I just don't get it...

A kazillion different fish to choose from...and people want to try to keep the species they can't house! I REALLY don't get it.

Koi are HUGE fish...they're bred to be kept in ponds and to be viewed from above...

The fancies are too, to a certain extent...but because theyr'e so much smaller they do better in tanks...

Please don't get a fish whose basic needs can't easily be met...

Kaga's Kritters

11-24-2007, 06:13 PM

a koi tank would need outstanding filtration, almost impossible in my opinion.

gm72

11-24-2007, 06:14 PM

Maybe newt has a pond that he/she can transfer the fish into. I do agree though, unless there are definitive plans for the fish once it outgrows the aquarium, large fish of any type should not be kept.

greendragon

11-24-2007, 10:27 PM

just wanted to add koi are extemely friendly, which adds to their appeal . It also makes it devastating if something happens to them. Like some have said I would really consider them a pond only fish.

angelcakes

01-30-2008, 08:55 PM

hi,i know the post is a little old but i think i can still help,i grow koi in my tank,the months are possibly different to where you are in the world for temperature,but this is how ive done it with success,i brought koi very small about 2-3 inches long and put them in my tank the month is october i then grow the koi until the months march-april the following year by this time feeding on cat fish pellets and normal fish food the koi are about 6-7 inches,in the months described march-april depends on the weather they then get transfered to the pond,this is the best way to keep koi if you are set on keeping some,works for me because theres loads of room for them in a pond,and get a very good filter/pump for tank/pond,the only thing i would say is a koi is mainley for a pond but growing them in a tank for a few months from small is ok,just watch out for springpox if you do this its not a dangerous diseaese where the fish dies,the fish appears to have a lot of black spots and will colour change,hope this helps

jbeining75

01-30-2008, 09:29 PM

Yeah koi are like pacu kinda they start off great and small and next week you'll need a new tank. I'm not sure why they sell koi and pacu in petstores. Oh I know we as aquarists are determined to keep them and we keep paying. I was reading an article somewhere about a guy building a 5520 gallons tank as an addition to his house to keep his Pacu. I'll find it and post link here.

RichBowyer

01-30-2008, 09:35 PM

My daughter had a koi and she is still upset with me that I wouldn't let her move it into the 125G. We took it to a koi pond over in PA. They are wonderful pets, feed from your hand and believe me, knew her name. As they grow they get hungry and ours almost choked to death from a community fish that got stuck in her mouth! I've seen koi avor 20 inches and quite rotund. They will grow out of a 38G in 18 months.

Find something you can keep.

$0.02

jbeining75

01-30-2008, 11:37 PM

Everyone should check this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the link and I was wrong it wasn't 5500 gallons it was 50,000. This is off of monster fish keepers. Wow read this thread. He does a 10,000 gallon water change every week.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8952

smaug

01-30-2008, 11:50 PM

Halelorf

01-31-2008, 01:54 AM

As well the glass panel was hinged allowing easy physical access to the aquarium to replace bulbs etc. via a rubber dinghy.

He has to get into a small boat just to replace light bulbs...that is awesome! thumbs2: thumbs2: thumbs2:

NickFish

02-01-2008, 11:15 AM

Whoa that things huge! That's bigger than my swimming pool! That guy's either rich or crazy or super obssesed (nothing wrong with that though)! 10000 weekly water changes! How does he do that!? His city must be mad at him, look how muchw ater he's using!

Hey cool 1000th post! Yay!

KcEE

02-02-2008, 12:36 AM

That's way wicked man!!! He can row a boat in there. Go diving. Swim. Hmm...what else...Hmm... :3grin2orange:

MelonMan

02-17-2008, 09:41 AM

i have seen some horrible things done to koi, like when my dads friend at work was keeping 2 koi and 2 comets in a 10g and they grew to about 6-7 inches. luckily they moved workplace and they werent allowed to have fish tanks so he gave me the fish and i put them in my pond about a week ago, it was terrible and he was doing a 50% water change once a month. i was so happy to save them, my uncle also has about 10 koi in two seperate ponds (5 in each) and he has no problem keeping them, he does have a pump for both but it is not running constantly and the fish arent huge, he has plenty of plants in there and that acts as filtration, maybe koi dont need as much filtration as people think?

angelcakes

02-17-2008, 01:10 PM

Halelorf

02-17-2008, 08:24 PM

I BET HIS WATER BILLS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!

He spent something on the order of $100,000+ for the tank, which was only going to last for about ten years. He has now had it for a little over 8 years now I believe. That is going to be an interesting fish move when the tank needs replacing :hmm3grin2orange:!